NY Islanders 2025 2nd round draft pick reportedly signs deal with Dynamo Moscow

New York Islanders prospect Daniil Prokhorov will remain in Russia for the foreseeable future, signing a two-year, two-way contract with Dynamo Moscow. The 18-year-old winger, selected 45th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, had been skating with Dynamo on a Professional Tryout that expired Friday before officially committing to the organization.

The signing ends speculation that Prokhorov might make the jump to North America this fall. After being taken by the Sarnia Sting in the CHL Import Draft, there was the possibility he would elect to play in the OHL to speed up his transition to the smaller ice. Instead, Prokhorov has opted to remain home, a decision that Islanders fans will watch over the next couple of seasons.

Prokhorov’s pathway to ice time won’t be straightforward. Dynamo head coach Alexey Kudashov admitted the young forward is still adjusting to professional hockey. “He is a very young guy and is only taking his first steps in adult hockey. Everything is new for him now. All the players are ready; the only question is when the dream will start to be realized,” Kudashov said via Dynamo’s website.

Given his lack of VHL (the KHL’s AHL equivalent) experience, Prokhorov is expected to spend much of this season in that league, with the possibility of carving out a KHL role next year. Once his contract expires after the 2026-27 season, he’ll be 20 and eligible to join the Islanders system, most likely beginning in Bridgeport. While contracts can sometimes be terminated early, the expectation is that Prokhorov will stay in Russia for the next two seasons. The Islanders, who were thrilled to land him in the second round, now hope this extra development time allows him to grow into one of the steals of the 2025 NHL Draft.